Computer systems and networks can facilitate the tasks of buying, selling and transferring goods, as technology advances have allowed for a wider variety of devices and transaction types in the retail and other marketplaces. One example of a relatively new development within the realm of electronic commerce is the ability to allow a consumer to pay for a good or service at a point of sale through the use of his or her smart phone, tablet, laptop computer, or other personal mobile device. A user merely needs to have an appropriate mobile payment application or “app” on his or her device, whereupon the user can present his or her smart phone or other similar device at an appropriate time and location at a retail or other establishment. The retailer or other seller or service provider can then “check in” the given user through some process of reading his or her smart phone or other similar device, after which the seller or service provider can accept payment or credit through some form of communication with the checked in or acknowledged device.
Unfortunately, such setups are not without their own drawbacks and inconvenient features. In many instances, the current check in process can be time consuming. For example, current check in procedures often require the customer to take out his or her smart phone or other device at a point of sale in order to make a payment or provide a credit. This often involves the device searching for the appropriate wireless connection at the store, searching for the store among many possible choices on the device, and/or manual user input or selection on his or her personal mobile device, all of which can take some inconvenient amount of time. Even small amounts of time that are less than a minute can be frustrating where other consumers are waiting in line behind the user at a register or other point of sale.
Although many systems and methods for facilitating consumer payments using personal mobile devices have generally worked well in the past, there is always a desire for improvement. In particular, what is desired are systems and methods that provide for faster or more convenient check ins and payment processing where smart phones or other personal mobile devices are used to facilitate consumer transactions.